At least some example embodiments of the inventive concepts relate to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, a nonvolatile memory device that generates loop status information, a storage device including the same, and an operating method thereof.
Semiconductor memory devices are classified into a volatile semiconductor memory device and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The volatile semiconductor memory device is fast in read and write speeds, but it loses data stored therein power is not supplied thereto. In contrast, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device retains data stored therein even when power is not supplied thereto. For this reason, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is used to store information that has to be retained regardless of whether power is supplied thereto.
The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device typically includes a flash memory device. The flash memory device is being used as a voice and image data storage medium of information devices such as a computer, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera, a camcorder, a voice recorder, an MP3 player, a handheld PC, a game console, a facsimile, a scanner, and a printer. Technologies for high-capacity, high-speed input/output, and low-power nonvolatile memory devices are being developed to mount the nonvolatile memory device in mobile devices including a smartphone.
Storing data in a nonvolatile memory device includes an operation of writing data in a selected memory area and a status detecting operation of determining whether the writing of the data in the selected memory area is performed normally. If the result of the status detecting operation indicates that the writing of the data in the selected memory area is performed abnormally, the nonvolatile memory device determines the writing as program fail. A memory area (or block) determined as the program fail is processed as a defective block or a bad block.
The status detecting operation includes determining whether the data are programmed within the limited number of program loops. Alternatively, the status detecting operation may be performed through a read operation that uses a specific read level. However, the status detecting operation is limited to block an uncorrectable error in a nonvolatile memory device in which memory cells are programmed to a plurality of target states. The uncorrectable error may be included in stored data due to various noises or a one-time error that is difficult to check through the status detecting operation and occurs during a program operation.